Travon Walker is a highly touted prospect rumored at being the second-overall selection in this year's draft. Everyone knows his freaky size and athletic profile, but what does the tape say? It is time to give y'all everything you need to know about Walker in a nutshell.
Biography
Name: Travon Walker
Position: Defensive Lineman
Height: 6'5
Weight: 272
Age: N/A
Class: Junior
School: Georgia
For those of you who are new to the 'In a Nutshell' series, this is a summarized scouting report to give you everything you need to know "in a nutshell."
The Good
Travon Walker is an alien athlete. Boasting 35 1/2" arms, some may say he has aspects of Kevin Durant. If only Kevin Durant were 272 pounds and could run a 4.51s 40-yard dash. The upside is everything for Walker: he never had a chance to shine on a Georgia front with 4 first-round talents (at least!). A positive to his play is that he is quite balanced day one, and he is just under Aidan Hutchinson as the best run-defending edge rusher in this class. Walker also has very solid push at the line of scrimmage, which will be key to his production early in the NFL.
The Bad
Walker is extremely raw. He scored low-tier NFL caliber as a pass rusher due to his lack of production and mechanics. That in no way means that Walker is a bad pass rusher: there is simply some room to grow. Any team taking this prospect should know that they are in for the long haul, not short-term production. Walker does have sub-elite football IQ. Again, though, he has yet to scratch the surface of his potential.
The Ugly?
There really isn't anything ugly here. The raw traits are still a very solid foundation to build upon, so the hype is warranted enough.
Overall
Walker provides sky-high ceiling with his tools and build. Do not force him to get 70 pressures year one, or you may stunt the potential growth of a superstar. Patience is the key here. If anyone evaluates Walker after only one year of play, they need to be stopped immediately. Play the long game here, not the short. You will be pleased with the results if his team does the same.
Grading Scale: (Average: 5/10)
Pass Rush: 10/15
Run Defense: 11.5/15
Mechanics: 6.5/10
Get-off and Bend: 7.75/10
Impact at LOS: 7.5/10
Athleticism: 9/10
IQ: 6.5/10
Length Usage: 5/5
Versatility: 5/5
Injury: 3.5/5
Mentality: 5/5
Draft Grade: 77.25
Draft Projection: Top 9
Big Board Rank: Top 15
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